PROOF

A girl gets on her knees to prove something
she learned this on her knees at eight years-old, to prove
she was sorry for talking while the German nun taught
math, on her knees for an hour
one hour for the minute it took to show Luna
the gap where just yesterday a tooth sat

the tooth grew back in the mouth
she used to prove that she loved Manuel, on her knees
she was thirteen under the summer stars
amid hushed breaths and secret places
on the body, between the thighs, in a heart
where just yesterday innocence had a home

the heart grew hardened by the married man
and his promises of tomorrow joy
she was twenty-six, in the bathroom, bloodied
on her knees to prove she believed in God
on the floor, hands on crotch, tears streaming down
the belly where just yesterday a baby once lay safe

A girl gets on her knees to prove nothing
she learned this on her knees at twenty-six

Story ID:	1907
Written by:	Tish Valles (bio, link, contact, other stories)
Organization:	The Writing Salon
Story type:	Poem
Location:	Brooklyn NY USA
Year:	2007